If you've never been there, maybe it's time. Cincinnati
surprises a lot of outsiders whose only exposure might
have come through chili (with pasta), the Reds baseball
team (the nation's first), or Jerry Springer (a former
mayor and local news anchor, and an internationally known
talk-show host). But did you know that Cincinnati is named
after Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman dictator who
relinquished power and returned to farming after defeating
the Aequians? Or why it has so many nicknames, including
"Queen City," "Blue Chip City," and
"City of Seven Hills"? Wikipedia
calls Cincinnati America's "first major American
'boomtown,' which rapidly expanded in the heart of the
country in the early nineteenth century to rival the coastal
metropolis in size and wealth. It has more arts, culture,
and sports than a city its size probably should (56th-largest
in the USA).

Over-the-Rhine is a 350-acre neighborhood between downtown
(southern border is Central Parkway), and Clifton Heights
(northern border is Mulberry Street). It has the largest
stock of Italianate architecture in the USA. It was heavily
populated and built up by German immigrants in the mid
19th century. They built historic churches and beer gardens
and supported some of the nation's earliest opera houses,
music halls, and other artistic expression. Currently,
it is one of the largest National Historic Districts in
the USA, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation
named it to its 11-most
endangered places in 2006.

Wikipedia
has a good history section on Over-the-Rhine. In the 19th
century, it was an ethnic enclave of predominantly German
immigrants. It was working class. In the early 20th century,
as many Germans assimilated Appalachian populations moved
in seeking work, as did African Americans fleeing the
antebellum south. Following World War II, the area declined
in population and relative per-capita income (compared
to city as a whole). Population steadily declined between
1900 and 2000: in 1900 (44,475), 1960 (30,000), 1970 (15,025),
1980 (11,914), 1990 (9,572), 2000: (7,500). It has never
been rich, but it has known periods of mixed economic
and racial character. As of the 2000 census, the racial
makeup of Over-the-Rhine was 19.4% Caucasian, 76.9% African
American, and less than 4% of other races.

Different people cite various factors. The consensus
in Cincinnati seems to be that the city largely abdicated
its responsibility to establish sound policy and planning,
particularly during the late 1960s. During this period,
a well-intentioned, yet disastrous federal program created
vast site-based Section 8 housing in Over-the-Rhine. This
concentrated poverty and contributed more than any other
factor to the growth of an urban underclass. In the late
1990s, the long-term leases for this housing came due,
and the city made a new commitment to the neighborhood.
A new voucher program gave qualifying individuals the
freedom to subsidize the rent for either their current
home or, if they choose to leave, the rent in a new location
throughout the country. Read more about the changes in
a recent Cincinnati
government Development and Planning document. Still,
Wikipedia
puts the owner-occupancy rate of Over-the-Rhine at a paltry
2.7% (compared to 38 percent for Cincinnati as a whole).

5. Can you describe some of the past efforts
to revitalize Over-the-Rhine?

[Write
the producers about previous cycles of boom and bust
that you are familiar with.] In the late 1990s, Main Street
was the locus for a rush of nightlife investments, particularly
bars, retaurants, and clubs. Even the tech boom hit: an
October, 1999 article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Over-the-Rhine
Becoming Silicon Alley, summed up a newfound heady
optimism. But following the Cincinnati
Riots in April of 2001, racial tension increased,
and security issues predominated. In the following months,
both the Cincinnati
Post and Enquirer were already reporting how economic
progress along Main Street stalled.

CITY. The city's commitment is proving fundamental.
New HUD vouchers are enabling qualified renters to choose
where they want to live, paving the way for more mixed
neighborhoods. Moreover, in 2003 the city council established
an innovative tax incremental financing (TIF) districting
law that for the first time links tax revenue from south
of Central Parkway (vibrant downtown) vertically to
the depressed Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Councilman
John
Cranley estimated the new funding sources would be worth
$1 billion during the next 30 years.

DEVELOPMENT. Findlay Market benefited from a multi-million
dollar makeover that resuscitated this historic meat-and-produce
market. Nonetheless, there still remain over 500 vacant
buildings in Over-the-Rhine and perhaps 2,500+ vacant
units. To meet that challenge, 3CDC, a private, non-profit
development corporation is working closely with the
city to envision a vibrant, diverse, mixed-income community
in Over-the-Rhine. And it has invested $80 million to
purchase entire city blocks and create the economies
of scale necessary to undertake the pricey revitalization
of the historic architecture. Starting in the Gateway
District (more specifically, 12th and Vine), the group
has leaned on the expertise of B2B Equities, Model
Group, Northpointe
Group and Urban
Sites to restore, market, and begin selling 100
condos. Cultural investments also point to a long-term
confidence: in 2005, the Art
Academy of Cincinnati relocated to the heart of
Over-the-Rhine; Cincinnati's
School for Creative and Performing Arts is most
of the way towards a $62 million fundraising goal for
a new facility to be built in Over-the-Rhine; and 3CDC
is helping lead a collaborative effort to redesign and
revitalize Washington Square.

NEW DATA. Over-the-Rhine may soon benefit from a new
study. Social
Compact, a Washington DC nonprofit and founder of
the DrillDown methodology, has joined with Property
Advisors, a Cincinnati-based commercial real estate
consulting firm, to conduct a thorough study focusing
on business indicators--buying power, market size, unmet
needs, and micro-market development patterns. The DrillDown
study, which has already been conducted in eight US
cities, has identified an informal economy worth $4.4
billion with 500,000 more residents than census trend
projections. Such data has already benefited traditionally
underserved (poor) neighborhoods, since banks and retail
businesses are then able to better justify investing
in these urban cores. (Read an article about the study
in the Cincinnati
Post.)

During this stage, we are making the best film we can.
So consider spreading the word by telling your friends
about it. Following the premier of the film at festivals
and/or television, we aim to organize screenings where
there is interest. You
can help make this happen.